Amit Shah conveys greetings to Amarnath pilgrims

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Saturday conveyed his greetings to the pilgrims of Amarnath Yatra and said the administration has made all possible arrangements for the convenience of the devotees.

The 62-day-long annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath located at a height of 3,880 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas began on July 1 and will continue till August 31.

"Shri Amarnath ji's pilgrimage is a symbol of unbreakable tradition and beliefs of 'Sanatan' culture. This pilgrimage is starting today.

"The administration has made all possible arrangements for the convenience of all devotees going to visit Baba Barfani. Your pleasant journey is our priority. Best wishes to all the devotees on their journey. Jai Baba Barfani," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

On Friday morning, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of pilgrims for the annual pilgrimage from the Bhagwati Nagar camp in Jammu. This batch set out from their base camp in Baltal in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Saturday morning for the cave shrine.

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The home minister has monitored all arrangements for the annual pilgrimage.

Last month, he reviewed security arrangements with all stakeholders for the pilgrimage and directed necessary action for it. Following Shah's directive, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla also undertook a detailed review of the security arrangements.

Over three lakh pilgrims have so far registered themselves for the yatra. The pilgrims have the choice of reaching the shrine either through the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district or the 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route.

This year, drones and dogs are being used and aerial surveys have been conducted to counter any terrorist threat besides preparing for any natural calamities, sources said.